Check out a person at the Human Library

During the "Human Library" program at Rancho San Diego library, civil rights activist Rita Cloud, left, of El Cajon, speaks with visitor Katy Gannon, 17, a high school student speaking to the various people there for a class study project.
— Charlie Neuman

During the "Human Library" program at Rancho San Diego library, civil rights activist Rita Cloud, left, of El Cajon, speaks with visitor Katy Gannon, 17, a high school student speaking to the various people there for a class study project.
— Charlie Neuman

RANCHO SAN DIEGO  Sometimes it’s rude to ask the question you’re really wondering about a person, but Saturday was an exception at the Rancho San Diego library.

For two hours, people were able to ask what it is like to be blind, to have a mental illness, to be homeless, to be a refugee or to be a minority.

“I’ve seen other (blind) people who were grappling and I wanted to go up and say, ‘How do you do this?’” said Sean Najjar, who talked to two blind people at the library. “But you can’t. It’s awkward.”

Najjar wanted to know because he is studying to be physician’s assistant. He got his chance Saturday when he and 25 other people participated in a “Human Library.”

Chelsie Harris, a community relations officer for the San Diego County Library, said she organized the event after learning about the concept in trade journals. The first Human Library was created in 2000 in Denmark by the youth group Stop The Violence. Locally, she organized the first one two months ago at the library’s El Cajon branch.

During Saturday’s event, visitors had opportunities to have 15-minute conversations across the table from an African-American civil rights activist, a man with bipolar disorder, two blind people, a man who once was homeless, an Iraqi refugee, a Jewish-American, a former foster child who is transgender and HIV positive, and a man with mental illness.

The two sat across from each other as Jason Baker answered questions about how he is able to function with his disability and the misconceptions people have about it.

“Too many people with mental illness are dying because of the stigma,” Jason Baker, a Rancho San Diego resident, said later. “That’s why I’m here. Too many people are not getting the help they need. It’s important for those of us who are doing well to be out there addressing the misconceptions.”

Stephen Ingram, diagnosed with major anxiety and depression, said most people who sat across from him asked how he became a peer support specialist for those struggling with mental health and substance abuse at Recovery Innovations of California. Some also said they needed advice for their own problems, or for a family member.

Clyde Quinn of El Cajon told people about the two years he spent homeless a decade ago.

“They ask me, ‘How did you end up on the streets?’” said Quinn, who told people that he was not a substance abuser, but had lost everything because of circumstances at the time.

Prizila Videal, who is transgender and HIV positive, said most people ask if she considers herself a man or woman.

“If we get technical, I’m transgender, but in reality I consider myself female, born in the wrong body,” she said.

Library visitor Mark Ostrow said he enjoyed talking with people outside the mainstream and especially enjoyed learning about the homeless community from Quinn. His wife, Jane, had attended the earlier Human Library in El Cajon.

“I ended up being the last person there and interviewing everybody,” she said. “I learned that I don’t know very much.”

Another Human Library will be planned in the spring, likely at the El Cajon branch library.